Jerome Gambit: Defending His Way to Victory

If you have the advantage in a chess game, the recommendation goes, you should attack - or run the risk of having the advantage disappear.

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game shows White on the defensive in the beginning, as Black tries to use his advantage - but not successfully. By the time White is done with his quiet moves, he has a better game, and then goes on to victory.

amazinggamer99 - Kunalkant

2 1 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3

This move was seen most recently in a couple of 3 minute blitz games by SanitationEngineer (see "Jerome Gambit: GM vs GM, Upset" and "Jerome Gambit: GM vs GM, Upset Again").

Black's King is relatively safe on f8. His Bishop at c5 prevents easy castling by White, putting a Rook on f1 to stare at His Majesty.

9...Be6 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Ng4 12.Qd2 Qh4 

White has disposed of Black's dark square Bishop, but now faces another threat, should he castle.

13.Nc3 h5 

Aggressive blitz play. 

14.h3 Rh6 

An interesting Rook lift, but over-estimating the power of the current pin on White's h-pawn: things can change.

15.g3 Qe7 16.hxg4 Bxg4 

White has achieved a somewhat better position, largely by defending. He could now prepare to castle Queenside with 17.f3, as 17...Bxf3 18.0-0 would win the exchange, i.e. 18...Rf6 19.Qe3 Qf7 20.Nd5. Instead, he positions his Queen to escort the f-pawn - and is immediately gifted with the exchange, after all.

17.Qe3 Rf6 18.Nd5 Qf7 19.Nxf6 Qxf6 20.f3 Qxb2 

This threat can be dealt with - by not castling.

21.Kd2 Be6 22.Rab1 Qxa2 23.Qg5 b6 24.Qxh5 Qa5+ 

White's Queen looks like trouble, so Black exchanges it off, but the problems do not stop.

25.Qxa5 bxa5 26.Rb7 a4 27.Rh8+ Bg8 28.Kc1 a3 29.f4 a5 

Black's passed a-pawns are not going to amount to anything, especially after White closes down the a2-g8 diagonal.

30.c4 a4 31.Kb1 g6 32.Rxc7 Rb8+ 33.Ka2 Rb3 

He might as well try to distract his opponent and hope for help from the clock.

34.g4 Rxd3 35.Rc8+ Ke7 36.Rhxg8 Re3 37.e5 dxe5 38.fxe5 Kd7 39.Rgd8+ Ke6 40.Re8+ Kd7 41.c5 Rxe5 

Clock or slip? Doesn't matter.

42.Rxe5 g5 43.Rb8 Kc7 44.Rb6 Black resigned

The Brutal Jerome Gambit

I just finished visiting ChessTerra.com, where I watched the video "The brutal Jerome Gambit (And how to destroy it!)"

Stjepan Tomić does a good job of analyzing the Jerome. I encourage Readers to take a close look. It is important for Defenders to know what they will be facing, and it is important for Attackers to know what they might come up against.

Is the video wrong? No.

But, you can see Tomić's appreciation of the Jerome

The Jerome gambit is absolutely mad and completely unsound, but... It creates such confusion in black’s position and it can end games in a matter of moves. Black goes a ton of material up but is at risk of getting mated straight away.

He rightly places White's chances as best in games with quick time controls

...blitz where you don’t have time to calculate and one mistake could cost you the game. The engine will win every time and if you have an hour on the clock you will win every time as well

But if you don't have that much time on the clock... 

Also, when Tomić recommends a line for Black, ahead of some other ideas, he explains how White can play against those second-best choices. Nice. 

Check it out.

Jerome Gambit: MrJoker As Sharp As Ever

 

Long time readers of this blog - or, newer readers who have done their research - are familiar with chess friend and Jerome Gambit investigator, Canadian Louis Morin, who has played online as MrJoker. He has also risked rating points and the occasional skeptical eye by playing the Jerome over-the-board, as well.

This weekend the FIDE Olympiad for the Disabled has started - online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Louis is playing for the Canadian team.

Of course, in a warm up, practice game, he had to play the Jerome Gambit. Take a look: his tactics are as sharp as ever.

Morin, Louis - Moran, Helmer Andras Orteg

25 10 online, FIDE Olympiad for the Disabled, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

The Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, played at least as early as Jaeger, D - Jerome, A.W., correspondence, 1880, but already suggested in Jerome's 1874 analysis in the Dubuque Chess Journal. It is a solid defense, avoiding the risky-feeling 6...Ke6 and side-stepping the offer of a Rook with 6...g6.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Qe7 10.O-O Be6 11.Nc3 

Most games reach the point where the opening stage is complete (or almost complete) and the question is then: What now? Black has defended well, and it looks like he intends to castle-by-hand, a prudent decision.

11...Kf7 12.Be3 Bb4 

I am not sure what this move is about. It would seem okay to exchange Bishops (When you are ahead in material, exchange pieces) even though it would open the f-file for White's Rook: 12...Bxe3 13.fxe3 Rhf8 14.e5 dxe5 15.Qxe5 Kg8. Black's King would be safe, the pressure along the f-file would largely be neutralized, and White' benefit would mostly have been exchanging his f-pawn for White's d-pawn. Black's next move shows what he might have been thinking.

13.f4 Ng4 

Apparently there was no need for Black to exchange off his Bishop; he could just trade a Knight for White's Bishop, instead.

White has other ideas. It is time to attack.

14.f5 Nxe3 

Counting on the fact that the Knight now attacks White's Rook, and so the Queen must recapture 15.Qxe3, after which there is the unsettling 15...Bc4. But Black overlooks the fact that the next move is a discovered double check.

15.fxe6+ 

15...Kxe6 

It was safer for the King to run for cover with 15...Ke8. What would White have, then? That is an interesting question. After the simple 16.Qxe3 Qxe6 17.Nd5 it looks like White would be a pawn up, working to exchange his Knight for Black's Bishop. But White's lead in development, and Black's uneasy King, would encourage the first player to continue after, say, 17...Bc5, with 18.d4 Bb6 19.Rf4 Rf8 20.Raf1 Rxf4 21.Nxf4 when White would clearly be better, with attacking prospects.

However, if you have a good imagination - or a good sense of humor - you might choose to meet 15...Ke8 with 16.Nd5!?, a seriously Joker-like move, the point being that the natural 16...Nxd5 17.exd5 would give White a great supported outpost for his Rook at f7. Even active defense would be of limited use: 17...Bc5+ 18.Kh1 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 (or 19...Qxf8 20.d4 Bb6 21.Qd3) 20.Rf1+ Kg8 21.Rf7.

16.Qh3+ 

Do you think MrJoker has been reading and drawing inspiration from the articles on this blog by Yury Bukayev??

White now has a forced checkmate. 

16...Ke5 17.Rf5+ Nxf5 18.Qxf5+ Kd4 19.Nb5+ Ke3 20.Qf2 checkmate

The game lasted, I am told, 5 minutes.

Jerome Gambit: Quite A Battle

The following game is quite a battle, with players averaging about a second's worth of thinking time for each move. It is exciting to play over, as the fight rages all over the board.

Anonymous - Anonymous

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 

The Two Knights Defense.

4.Bxf7+ 

I like to refer to this kind of opening as an "impatient Jerome Gambit", as White sacrifices the Bishop before Black plays ...Bc5.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 

I'm not sure what's going on, I guess it's best to develop a piece.

7.c3 Bd6 8.O-O 

This will be a theme for White's play throughout the game: You expect me to capture with a pawn? Nah. There's a certain kind of freedom that comes from being 2 pieces down. Also, every time an opponent has to use valuable time answering the question What is he doing?? that is helpbul in bullet play.

8...Re8 

See the note to Black's 6th move.

9.f4 

See the note to White's 8th move.

9...Neg4 10.e5 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and is still two pieces up.

White has his "Jerome pawns" and has to be encouraged that Black's Bishop blocks his pawn that blocks his other Bishop that hems in his Rook - a typical defender's problem in the Jerome.

11.h3 Nh6 12.g4 Ne4 13.Qd3 Nc5 14.Qc2 Qh4 

Black wants this game.

15.dxc5 Qg3+ 16.Qg2 Bxc5+ 17.Kh1 Qxg2+ 18.Kxg2 d6 

19.b4 Bb6 20.a4 a5 21.exd6 cxd6 22.Nd2 Be6 23.Nf3 Bd5

 

The Bishop pair looks deadly.

24.Kg3 Be3 25.Bb2 Bb6 26.b5 Re3 

27.Rad1 Bb3 28.Rxd6 Bxa4 

A slip. Things quickly get out of hand.

29.Rxb6 Rae8 30.Rxb7 Bc2 31.c4 

White has two pawns for the piece and attacking chances on the King.

31...Bd3 32.Rxg7+ Kf8 33.Rxh7 

An oversight. I sense the impact of the 33rd piece.

33...Be4 34.Rxh6 Bxf3 35.Rxf3 Kf7 36.Rh7+ Kg8 37.Rg7+ Kf8 38.Rxe3 Rxe3+ 39.Kh4 Rb3 40.Be5 a4 

Everything has changed; White has the better position and greater material. Still, Black's passed pawn promises to make things interesting.

41.b6 a3 42.b7 a2 43.b8=Q+ Rxb8 44.Bxb8 a1=Q

 

45.Be5 Qe1+ 46.Kg5 Qg3 47.Kf5 Qd3+ 48.Kf6 Qxc4 49.Re7 Qc6+ 

50.Re6 Qe8 

A final slip, clearly time-triggered.

51.Rxe8+ Kxe8 52.Kg7 Kd8 53.f5 White won on time

Whew!

Jerome Gambit: Both Entertaining and Educational

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4  4.Bxf7+ ) game is both entertaining and educational. That is a lot to get out of a game that did not last 2 minutes. As usual, I am quite impressed with the level of play.

Anonymous - Anonymous

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4  4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 d5 

This move is the choice of Stockfish 11 and Komodo 11.

Interestingly enough, the only other game in The Database with this move is another 1 0 bullet game, shugart - javierrivas, FICS, 2017 (0-1, 27).

That is good enough to add 9...d5 as "Jerome Gambit Secrets #15".

10.exd5 

White is not afraid (intuition?) to exchange Queens, the exact idea that would come - quickly - to Black's mind; after all, he is ahead in material and would like to blunt his opponent's attack.

10...Qxe3+ 

With more time, Black might have stumbled upon 10...Nf4 or 10...Bf5, either of which would have maintained his advantage. The text move leads to an even game.

11.fxe3 Nf6 12.O-O Ke7 

Black steps out of the pin on his Knight at f6, so it can attack the pawn at d5. In doing so, he blocks the e-file, where his Rook might otherwise have gone to pressure the advancing e-pawn. All in all, a bit odd.

13.Nc3 Rf8 14.b3 

14...e4 was playable, instead, but White spies the enemy King and Rook on the same dark squared diagonal.

14...Bd7

A slip.

15.Ba3+ Kf7 16.Bxf8 Rxf8 17.e4 Kg8 

White has a Rook and 3 pawns for a Bishop and Knight. He has the advantage.

18.e5 

With a focus on activity and development. He might have considered reversing this move and the next one, however.

18...Nxe5 19.Rae1 Nf7 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Rxe4 Nd6 

22.Re7 Rxf1+ 

Somewhat surprisingly, Black's game begins to fall apart after this move. White's remaining Rook, unopposed, is too strong.

23.Kxf1 Bb5+ 24.c4 Ba6 25.Rxc7 h6 

26.d3 Kh7 27.Kf2 Kg6 28.c5 Nf5 29.d6 Kf6 30.g4 Nd4 31.h4 Nc6 

The Knight has been trying so hard to restrain the pawns.

32.g5+ Ke6 

The King has to help stop the passer: 32...hxg5 33.hxg5+ Kxg5 would be a mistake because of 34.Rxc6 bxc6 35.d7, etc.

33.Rxg7 Bxd3 34.gxh6 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: What About the Rook?

Even for the off-beat and unusual Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) there is a certain amount of "theory" that is good to know, to guide your way through the complications. Especially Black would benefit from an understanding about what he is getting himself into when he plays 6...g6 in response to White's Queen sally 5.Qh5+; like it or not, it is a tacit offer of a Rook, and he has to be aware of that and deal with it. Otherwise, problems like in the following game will crop up.

Anonymous - Anonymous

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 

7...Bd6 

I was surprised to find 50 games with this move in The Database, but I was not surprised to find that White scores 89% against it.

It is true that 7...Bd6 saves Black's Bishop, but it does nothing about the threat to the Rook at h8. That is the challenge when Black plays 6...g6: it is fun to kick the enemy Queen with a pawn, but what about the Rook?

Blackburne's Defense, 7...d6, says Go ahead and take the Rook, I will trap your Queen and checkmate your King. It doesn't always work out that way - in fact, The Database has 911 games with the move, and White scores 70% - because players can get lost in the complications, but Black needs to know, beforehand, what he is getting into.

Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7, says Go ahead and take the Rook, I am aiming at your King. Again, probably because White is more experienced with the Jerome Gambit - and that helps in a complicated positions - The Database gives 576 games with 7...Qe7, with White scoring 64%. Black's best chances come after he sacrifices the Rook.

So, the warning is - be aware, defenders, that 6...g6 means you want to sacrifice your Rook. Play becomes awkward without this awareness.

8.Qxh8 b6 

Also seen recently:

8...Qe7 9.Qxh7+ Kf8 10.Qxg6 Qg7 11.Qf5+ Nf6 12.0–0 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 d6 14.Qf4 Qh7+ 15.Kg1 Ke7 16.Re1 Nh5 17.Qg5+ Ke8 18.Nc3 Black resigned,  Unjana - indBasher, 5 8 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; and 

8...Qh4 9.Qd4 Nf6 10.g3 Qg5 11.d3 b6 12.Bxg5 Black resigned, soraneptune - akainth07, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.

9.b3 

Simplest is 9.Qxh7+, making sure that the Queen will not be trapped, but White is confident that she will be safe.

9...Bb7 10.Bb2 Bxe4 

White is up the exchange and a pawn, but he is most happy about his control (and threats) along the a1-h8 diagonal.

11.Qg7+ Ke8 12.Qxg8+ Bf8 13.O-O Bxc2 

Grabbing a pawn, as there is not much else to do. He could have tried 13...Qg5, threatening mate, but after 14.g3 Qf5 (hoping to come to f3) White had 15.Nc3, threatening to snap off the Bishop, and, after 15...Bb7, he could turn from defense to attack with 16.Rae1+. (He can keep Black's Queen out of f3 with f2-f4.)

14.Re1+ 

Crushing.

14...Qe7 15.Rxe7+ Kxe7 16.Bg7 

You knew that move was coming, right?

16...Bxg7 17.Qxg7+ Kd6 18.Qd4+ Kc6 19.Qc3+ Kb7 20.Qxc2 Re8 21.Nc3 Black resigned

The material loss is too much to continue with.